Plinius Secundus, C., Historia naturalis. Ed. Johannes Andreas de Buxis. With 26 large sheet gold initials on blue, green and rose ground , also with numerous lombards in blue. Venice, Nicolaus Jenson 1472. 19th century vellum. Folio. 343 (of 358) unnumb. ll. Roman type. 50 lines.

Hain/Cop. 13089. - GW M34326. - Goff P 788. - BMC V, 172. - BSB P-601. - Polain 4660. - Klebs 786.3. - Essling 3. - Third edition of this large and rarest encyclopedia of natural science, the first edition published by Johannes de Spira in 1469. Printed in Jenson's famous antiqua, the model for all later forms of antiqua. "If the editio princeps of this work, by I. de Spira, be considered as the chef d'oeuvre of the press of that artist, so is the present production the chef d'oeuvre of the press of Jenson. As a Latin volume, printed in the XVth century, there is nothing which surpasses it. The type is yet more elegantly formed than I. de Spira's, and the spacing of the lines and register of the page are more skilfully exact." (Dibdin II, 318) - Lacking 12 text and 3 blank leaves. Partly minor browning or foxing, some leaves washed (lombards and early marginalia faded), 8 leaves with restored tear (affecting 2 large initials), 1 leaf with large defective corner (initial removed, loss of text).

Third edition of the great encyclopaedia of natural science, printed with Jenson's famous Antiqua, the model for all later Antiqua types. With 26 large initials in gold on blue, green and rose ground as well as numerous painted lombards in blue. 19th cent. vellum (used, lacks spine). - 343 (of 358) nn. leaves. Lacking 12 text and 3 blank leaves. Partly minor browning or foxing, some leaves washed (lombards and early marginalia faded), 8 leaves with restored tear (affecting 2 large initials), 1 leaf with large defective corner (initial removed, loss of text).